If, indeed, the key
to successful leadership is influence, how do we become more influential? Is
this something we can learn? Influence was a crucial component of the lecture
on Power given by Dr. Mabel Miguel, Professor of Organizational Behavior at the University of North Carolina (UNC), at the “Women in Business – Transitioning to Leadership” workshop at the UNC’s Kenan-Flagler Business School that I attended in
May. Remember that “Power is Good” (for a refresher, please see blog
on Power), and we should all want more of it. If we define power as
the capacity or potential to influence others, then we want to increase this
capacity or potential. So think about a recent situation where you successfully
wielded your influence. Did you win an argument, change a policy, or improve a
situation? Ask yourself the following questions:
• How influential
are you?
• What is your
favorite influence technique?
• How do you
tailor your strategy to the situation?
• Did you have a
plan when you approached people?
There are several
categories of strategies/tactics that we use to influence others. These are
often referred to as the three Rs: Reason, Reciprocity, and Retribution. Here’s
a summary of each and some indications of when they might be the most effective
choice.
This is my
favorite influence technique. To a scientist, the idea that a reasonable
argument should carry the day seems so obvious that I should not need any other
tactic. The fact that these other tactics are available for me to use is
something I learned during this workshop. When do you use the Reason influence? When you have adequate
time for discussion, when you and those you are trying to influence share
common goals and values, and when there is an on-going relationship characterized
by mutual respect and credibility.
Reciprocity
can take advantage of a network or coalition. It can involve a consultation,
ingratiation, or a personal appeal. It can be gratifying, obliging, or
forceful, e.g., the ‘Godfather’ approach. It can involve an exchange, e.g.,
“I’ll do this if you do this;” or a bargain, e.g., “I’ve been reasonable, now
it is your turn.”
This is an
influence technique that I am learning to use more effectively. In fact, there
was a section of this workshop dedicated to networking,
and I have already blogged about it. When do you use reciprocity? When each
party is mutually dependent and has resources valued by the other. Both parties
have to trust each other and have to have established exchange norms. Of
course, abundant time for negotiating is always helpful.
The
last tactic is Retribution. You can use intimidation, e.g., “Others have
agreed;” or pressure, e.g., “If you don’t do it now you will miss this
opportunity.” You can even resort to coercion or open threats.
I’m not sure if I
have ever used Retribution effectively in my professional life, but as I write,
I am thinking of situations where I could use it. This strategy would be most
useful in a situation of unequal power, where I have the most influence, or if there
is a serious violation of policy and resistance is likely. It is also useful
when time constraints are tight.
In her 2015 Business
Insider article, author Shana Lebowitz describes 11
incredible psychological tricks to get people to do what you want. She
claims that you can get people to like you or give you what you want, even
without them realizing that you’re doing it. Here are some highlights, but
check out the full article for details.
1. Use a “decoy”
option to get people to buy your product.
2. Tweak the
environment to get people to act less selfish.
3. Help advance
someone’s goals to get them to do you a favor.
4. Mimic people’s
body language to get them to like you.
5. Speak quickly
to get an argument opponent to agree with you.
6. Confuse people
to get them to comply with your request.
7. Ask people for
favors when they’re tired to get them to cooperate.
8. Display an
image of eyes to get people to behave ethically.
9. Use nouns
instead of verbs to get people to change their behavior.
10. Scare people
to get them to give you what you need.
11. Focus on what
your partner is gaining to get them to agree to your offer.
Leaving pop
psychology aside for the moment, what are the best ways to influence and
persuade? First, establish credibility. Do you have expertise? Make sure your
bargaining partner knows this; don’t assume it will be self-evident. Do you
have a history of helping others? Use examples of these relationships and what
others have gained as a result of working with you. Second, find common ground.
This position must make sense and appeal to both parties. Remember that people are
more willing to cooperate with those who are like them AND who like them and
they like. Make an effort to discover real similarities. Try to connect both
emotionally and to the big picture. Don’t just talk. Listen. How will they
interpreting what you say or feeling about your proposal? Understand what’s in
it for them. Third, provide evidence – data, charts, figures, stories,
examples, statistics, etc. Exclusive information is more persuasive than widely
available data. Fourth, remember that influence is a process, not an event.
Avoid hard-sells, and be ready to compromise. End with a call to action; get
commitments voluntarily, in writing, or in public.
In conclusion, we
should return to the quote at the top of this post, “The key to successful
leadership today is influence, not authority.” - Ken Blanchard. I’ve had supervisors
who used their authority to get things done. Ordering someone to do something may
pass as management, but it is not leadership. If, however you aim to be a
leader, then you need to work on your ability to influence. Here are some references
that were used in the creation of this blog and might help you reach this goal.
Allen,
R. W., Madison, D. L., Porter, L. W., Renwick, P. A., Mayes, B. T. (1979)
"Organizational Politics: Tactics and Characteristics of its Actors,"
California Management Review, XXII(1), 77-83.
Cialdini,
R.B. (2001) Harnessing the science of persuasion. Harvard Business Review,
7915, 71-80.
Conger,
J.A. (1998) The Necessary Art of Persuasion. Harvard Business Review, 76(3), 84-95.
Kipnis,
D. (1987). Psychology and behavioral technology. American Psychologist, 42(1),
30-36.
Kipnis,
D., Schmidt, S. M., & Wilkinson, I. (1980). Intraorganizational influence
tactics: Explorations in getting one's way. Journal of Applied Psychology,
65(4), 440-452
Yukl,
G., Falbe, C. M., & Youn, J. Y. (1993). Patterns of influence behavior for
managers, Group
and Organization Management, 18, 5–28.
